Pliers



June 12, 1945' 7 A L. VIYSSAT 2,378,254

PLIERS Filed Nov. 17, 1943 INVENTOR.

Patented June 12, 1945 v UNITED STATES OFFI C y 2,378,264 PLIERS Anthony, Vissat, Pittsburgh, Pa. ApplicationNovember 17, 1943, Serial No. 510,833- '1' cl im. (01. s 1---50)- This invention relates to an improved pair of pliers; and important objects and advantages thereof are to provide a tool of the character desc'ribed, which embodies a pair-of associated jaws having'the opposed working faces thereof in parallel relation to each other throughout the-latitude of travel of said jaws, which willsquarely hold or grip any object'engaged thereby, which operate to exert exceptional gripping force, which includes means for automatically locking the embodied jawswhen resistance is exerted'tothe lat-'- ter and for limiting the movement of the jaws to the open positions, which is simple in its con.- struction and arrangement, durable and efficient in its use, compact, conveniently operable, and comparatively economical in its manufacture.

To the accomplishment of these and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination,

and arrangement of parts herein specifically dea scribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that the latter is merely illustrative of an embodiment of the invention, and that changes in the form, proportions, and details of construction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claims here- .unto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a pair of pliers, with portions cut away and in section, constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the pliers.

Figure 3 is an edgewise view thereof.

Figure 4 is a front view of the sliding jaw embodied in the invention.

Figure 5 is an edgewise view of the sliding jaw.

Referring indetail to the drawing l and 2 respectively' denote a pair of operating handles, which are pivotally joined together at their forward ends by a pivoting bolt 3, or in any other suitable manner. 4

The handle carries an integrally formed fixed jaw 4 which includes a projecting jaw plate 5 having its forward edge 6 disposed at right angles to the inner or working face of said fixed jaw. A guide groove 1, having an open front side and a stepped bottom, as indicated at 22, is formed in the fixed jaw and extends or continues along the forward margin of the plate edge 6.

A sliding jaw 8 opposes the fixed jaw 4 and is provided with an integrally formed guide shank 9 which latter projects at right angles to the inner ness of the shank 9 is less than thethicknessof the sliding jaw, and thereby provides a seating edge Ill-at the base of the latter; The juncture of the sliding jaw 8 with the" guide-shank- 9' is strengthened by a reenforcing cheek 24-, which is disposed on th'efront face 25 of' said shank 9 and on the adjacent lower portion of the sliding jaw8. v a

The guide 'shank 9 has-a stepped rear'face, as indicated at "23; conforming to the contourofthe, stepped bottom22- ofthe guide groove '1', and

isslid-ably engaged the latter; as clearly illus-" trated in Figure 3, whereby said stepped face and bottom interengage each other. A relatively short locking lug 9 is formed on the rearward edge l2 of the shank 9 at the free end of the latter. The plate edge 6 is engaged against the seating edge 10 atthe base of the sliding jaw 8, and the locking lug 9' is the only portion of the edge l2 that engages the rear wall [3 of the guide groove 1, for the purpose, to be described and as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Such assembly of the jaws allows the sliding jaw to shift freely toward or away from the fixed jaw, and maintains the parallel positions of the inner faces of said jaws throughout the latitude of travel of said slidingjaw.

The opposed working faces of the jaws 4 and 8 are preferably formed with transversely disposedteeth for the obvious purpose of augmenting their gripping action on pipe or other round stock.

' The jaws may further be provided with opposed angular recesses II to better adapt same for engaging polygonal-shaped objects. v

The sliding jaw 8 is adjusted by the movement of an enlarged head I4 which is formed integral with the operating handle 2. A compensatory cam slot I5 is provided at theforward end and to one side of the enlarged head for engaging a stud pin IS. The latter is fixed in the front face 25 of the guide shank 9 adjacent to the free end of the latter, and extends through the cam slot l5. The enlarged head portion 26, which overlaps the reenforcing cheek 24, is suitably recessed on its inner surface to provide clearance for said cheek 24. The construction and pivotal connection of the handles I and 2 is such as to provide the conventional operation, whereby when said handles are drawn toward each other the sliding jaw 8 will shift toward the fixed jaw 4, and when the handles are separated the jaws are also parted or released.

The enlarged head [4 is positioned flatly against the front face of the guide shank 9, and is of ample area to suitably maintain the proper assembly of the sliding jaw 8 with the fixed jaw 4, but all stresses to which the sliding jaw may be subjected are borne by the guide shank 9 due to the interengagement of the latter in the guide l groove I in the manner herein set forth.

An adjusting bolt I1 is threadedly engaged in the jaw plate and is operable to project the end thereof through the rear wall H! of the guide groove 1 into the latter. When so projected said end provides a rest for the rearward edge [2 of the guide shank 9 and provides a slide alignment with the engaging face of the locking lug 9'. Further, when the bolt I! is so projected the sliding jaw 8 will not lock in any adjusted position, and said sliding jaw may be' freely adjusted by the manipulation of the operating handles I and 2.

When the adjusting bolt I! is retracted within the groove wall l3 to disengage the rearward edge l2 of the guide shank 9 from said bolt [1, the jaws 4 and 8 may readily be adjusted relatively to each other by the usual manipulation of the operating handles l and 2. However, any stress exerted on the jaws by work engaged between and tending to open the latter will immediately impart a locking action to the guide stem 9 by allowing and causing the inner sharp corner 20 of the locking lug 9' to engage on the groove rear wall I3, and the diagonally opposed sharp corner 2| to engage on the outward wall of the guide groove 1. This locking action is an important feature of the invention and serves to automatically lock the sliding jaw 8 in any and all possible adjusted positions of the latter.

The jaw plate 5 and the enlarged head [4 are each provided with a cutter notch, respectively indicated at l8 and I9, which coact to serv as a cutter for severing wire, nail and the like, in the usual well known manner.

The present invention provides a most efiicient device of its kind, which may be economically manufactured and successfully employed in the manner herein set forth.

What I claim is:

A pair of pliers of the character described comprising the combination of a pair of pivotally joined operating handles, a fixed jaw formed integral with one of said pair of handles and including a jaw plate provided with a guide groove, a sliding jaw provided with an integrally formed guide shank extending at right angles thereto, said shank having a shiftable engagement in said groove, an enlarged head formed integral with the other of said pair of handles and being operatively joined with said shank to adjust said sliding jaw with respect to said fixed jaw, a locking lug carried on the rearward edge of said shank at the free end of the latter for engaging a side wall of said groove to hold said sliding jaw in the adjusted position, and an adjusting bolt threadedly engaged in said plate and being projectable into said groove to engage said shank for preventing the operation of said locking lug.

ANTHONY L. VISSAT. 

